summons
Americannoun
plural
summonses-
an authoritative command, message, or signal by which one is summoned.
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a request, demand, or call to do something.
a summons to surrender.
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Law.
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a call or citation by authority to appear before a court or a judicial officer.
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the writ by which the call is made.
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an authoritative call or notice to appear at a specified place, as for a particular purpose or duty.
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a call issued for the meeting of an assembly or parliament.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a call, signal, or order to do something, esp to appear in person or attend at a specified place or time
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an official order requiring a person to attend court, either to answer a charge or to give evidence
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the writ making such an order Compare warrant
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a call or command given to the members of an assembly to convene a meeting
verb
Other Word Forms
- nonsummons noun
- resummons noun
Etymology
Origin of summons
1250–1300; Middle English somons < Anglo-French; Old French somonse < Vulgar Latin *summonsa, for Latin summonita, feminine past participle of summonēre; summon
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The video for Opalite premiered on Friday, and stars Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson as a "lonely man" who summons Swift into his life by spraying a magic potion on his beloved cactus.
From BBC
When he had gone to bed last night, he had considered ignoring the summons that had come from the magic shop.
From Literature
The summons and raid are the latest signals of a growing trans-Atlantic clash over how—and whether—big tech companies should police online speech.
Monday's ruling is largely symbolic with no real way to enforce it: North Korea has for years ignored the lawsuit, and its leader Kim Jong Un has not responded to Japanese court summons.
From BBC
In August, the committee issued legal summons to Maxwell, requiring her to submit evidence under oath.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
